Things to do in Chambers

The ancient trees of Petrified Forest National Park turned to quartz over many years as minerals from volcanic ash and silica replaced plant material. Once a forest, the area is now a semi-arid grassland. View beautiful desert flowers, shrubs and striking landscapes which perfectly complement the forest of fossilized logs.

Blue Mesa is truly a sight that must be seen to be believed. It looks more like the work of an artist’s paintbrush than natural geologic processes. Perhaps that is why the area surrounding it is called the Painted Desert. No visit to Arizona’s Petrified Forest National Park is complete without exploring the remarkable Blue Mesa. Drive the 3.5-mile (5.6-kilometer) loop trail around the mesa or hike into the badlands.

Whipple Point is a scenic cliff overlooking the Painted Desert in Petrified Forest National Park. The side of its otherworldly rock face glows with a reddish-pink hue, while the plateau is covered in low shrubs. Drive or climb to the table atop its flat peak and gaze into the distance for a picture-perfect vista of the undulating red landscape.

One of the eight Painted Desert overlooks located across Petrified Forest National Park, Tawa Point provides spectacular views of the Martian-like terrain. Before you, deep reds and black basalt make up the otherworldly scenery, which is engrained in the folklore of the Hopi people. Embark on the Tawa Trail for 1.2 miles (1.9 kilometers) and take in the remarkably colorful surroundings on the way to the visitor center.

Walk through history along the Crystal Forest Loop. Discover this particular gem in the heart of Petrified Forest National Park. The short hike is accessible for most visitors and offers a glimpse into some of eastern Arizona’s most unique geologic formations.

Puerco Pueblo is one of many small and scattered Ancestral Puebloan settlements in the Four Corners region of the United States. Follow a short trail around the ruins and examine the remaining structures to find out more about how this Native American community lived.